Kensington and Chelsea PCN – Pay or Appeal? 

Just received a Kensington and Chelsea Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and don’t know whether to pay it or appeal?

You’ve come to the right place. Over 130,000 people turn to our site each month for advice on fines and parking tickets.

In this step-by-step guide, we will:

• Explain what a Kensington and Chelsea PCN is.
• Discuss if you have to pay Kensington and Chelsea fines.
• Show you how to appeal a Kensington and Chelsea parking fine.
• Share how to avoid getting a parking fine in Kensington and Chelsea.
• Tell you what might happen if you don’t pay the fine.

We understand it’s frustrating to get a council parking fine, but you’re not alone. In fact, Churchill Motor Insurance reports that in 2022, UK councils issued an average of 19,631 daily parking fines, a 12% increase from the previous year.¹

Don’t worry! We’re here to guide you through the whole process, from understanding the fine to finding out whether you can appeal it.

Let’s dive in.

What is a fine?

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea can issue parking fines just like any other local authority.

These parking fines are officially called Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), but a PCN can also be issued for some driving offences caught on camera.

It includes turning right when there is a no-right-turn sign. 

Take a look at why one motorist got a Kensington & Chelsea PCN and couldn’t afford to pay the fine.

Source: Moneysavingexpert

It’s important to note the difference between a Penalty Charge Notice, which is issued by a council, and a Parking Charge Notice, which is a parking fine from a private company.

Private parking tickets are not enforceable at first and are not considered real fines.They’re more similar to invoices that can be challenged in a small claims court when they go unpaid. 

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

How much is it?

An RBKC PCN ranges from £80 to £130, which is the standard fine in London Boroughs. However, you can pay a reduced fine if you settle your Penalty Charge Notice within the first 14 days.

You will get a 50% discount on the fine, meaning the fines would be £40 and £65. 

The exact amount you’re fined will depend on how serious the parking contravention was. It will be higher if you put other people in danger or if you caused a major disruption or incident. 

Do you have to pay?

You must either pay your Penalty Charge Notice Kensington and Chelsea within 28 days or lodge an appeal PCN RBKC challenge within the same period.

You should never ignore an RBKC PCN issued to you, as doing so will make the fine grow bigger and could result in legal action being taken against you.

Challenging a ticket

If you received the PCN Kensington on your vehicle, you can make an informal appeal first within 14 days.

I know the appeal process can be a bit challenging. That’s why I’ve put together this table that will help you better understand the steps you should take. If you want to learn more about PCNs, be sure to check out our specialized guide.

Process:	Steps you should take:
When you receive the ticket…	You should gather as much evidence as you can to support your appeal claim and prove that the ticket was unfairly issued.
If you were given the ticket in person/attached to your car…	You must make an informal appeal (sent to the local authority/council that issued the PCN) within 14 days. This should be a letter with the evidence proving why the ticket was incorrectly given.
If it was posted to you…	You will be given 21 days to submit an informal appeal (from the day you received the letter). Your informal appeal should be a letter with the evidence proving why the ticket was incorrectly given.
If the informal appeal is rejected…	You will receive a Notice to Owner and will have 28 days to respond to this with a formal appeal. You can conduct the formal appeal online or via paper form. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal can send you one of these forms.
If the formal appeal is rejected…	You will receive a Notice of Rejection. From here, you are free to challenge the council’s verdict at an independent tribunal.
If the independent tribunal disagrees with your appeal…	You should pay the ticket within 28 days of the tribunal rejecting your appeal. If you don’t, the fine will be increased by 50%. If you don’t have the money to pay the fine, you should contact Citizens Advice or another debt charity.

If the PCN was sent in the post or your informal appeal was rejected, you can make a formal appeal known as a representation. 

It’s worth checking what Kensington and Chelsea PCN evidence is held against you, which is possible online with your PCN number. It’s the council’s RBKC PCN view evidence online option. 

What happens if you don’t pay?

Chelsea and Kensington Council will issue a charge certificate to people who don’t pay their PCN within 28 days.

The charge certificate increases the fine amount by 50%, so your fine could increase to as much as £195 in a worst-case scenario.

You’ll have 14 days to pay the new fine amount in full.

When you ignore a charge certificate, the council can ask for a court order to be issued against you. This order makes it your legal responsibility to pay the fine.

Ignoring the court order will result in the local authority using bailiffs to recover the money.

If bailiffs get involved you will have to pay their fees, which can be expensive and much more than your parking fine. 

How to Pay

You can pay your RBKC PCN by calling 020 7361 4380 or online using the council’s website.

You can find the online payment portal here. 

To make a payment, you’ll need your vehicle registration number and your PCN number, the latter is found on your parking ticket, usually at the very top. 

Kensington and Chelsea PCN contact details

RBKC parking fine appeal:	RBKC PCN challenge online option
RBKC PCN view evidence:	View RBKC PCN evidence online option
PCN pay RBKC:	Pay an RBKC PCN online option
RBKC PCN contact details:	020 7361 4380 – payments only
Find RBKC PCN number:	Manage RBKC PCN online option

Parking regulations

Parking restrictions are strict in Kensington & Chelsea, and there aren’t many places to park.

Most streets are parking permits only or residents parking only with some streets having metered parking which is expensive.

If you park unlawfully in the borough, you will be given a parking ticket and in a worst case scenario, your vehicle could be clamped or towed.

References

1. SkyNews – Parking Tickets Statistics